Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity. Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being because only when people have the ability to read and write and the ability to lead a long and healthy life, they will be able to make other choices which they value. Human capital treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity.

Do you know how much the government spends on education? This expenditure by the government is expressed in two ways (i) as a percentage of 'total government expenditure' (ii) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percentage of 'education expenditure of total government expenditure' indicates the importance of education in the scheme of things before the government. The percentage of 'education expenditure of GDP' expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Government of India has also started levying a 2 per cent 'education cess' on all Union taxes. The revenues from education cess has been earmarked for spending on elementary education. The spread of education and health services across different sectors of society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. India has a rich stock of scientific and technical manpower in the world. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in India.